Yay TGIF

[altivo]

As predicted, I'm stiff today from scrunching down on the concrete floor to work on those UPSes yesterday. Decided I might as well go ahead and inspect/test all the UPSes in the building. Two remaining APCs, same model, one out of service for several years, one that failed its self test just last week. Both now are playing dead. Opened up, both have swollen batteries that need extraction. I suspect both are functional with good batteries, and I can use both, so brought them home to see if I can't extract the batteries by dismantling the cases. Then will test them using an external battery. One remains, a small Deltec unit that provides backup for our digital phone system. It's probably due for a new battery as well, though it hasn't complained yet. Since the phones have to be shut down to test it, I'll have to wait for Thursday morning on that.

All this has inspired me to an eBay spending spree. Well sort of. Three purchases in 24 hours plus one earlier in the week is unprecedented. Two of the four are for work (NICs and a Dell replacement drive) and will be reimbursed. The other two are toys for myself, an expansion drive for the Alpha at home and yet another graphics card. This one supposedly does work with both OpenVMS and Linux, but there are complaints that it's slow. Since a PWS433au Alpha isn't exactly a lightning bolt anyway, that probably doesn't matter. OpenVMS compatible graphics cards are scarce, and the better quality ones sell for big money. I'm not paying $350+ for a VGA card from the 1990s. The PBXGK-BB set me back only $18 plus shipping. The expansion drive will fit into the hot-pluggable stack I'm using with the PWS here at home, and give me room to play around with another OS. I have a full installation kit with original key for Windows NT 4.0 that includes the Alpha port, but that's probably not worth the bother. There are some other versions of Linux that still have Alpha ports, though. And I'd love to get a chance to play with DEC's own Tru64 UNIX, though that's probably going to be difficult. Unlike OpenVMS, which is still supported and has a free licensing program for hobbyists, Tru64 is no longer active, media is not available, and licenses are nearly impossible to get. Probably I'll be settling for Gentoo or CentOS.

OK, I hear bed calling me. Three day weekend ahead. Good weather expected at least until Sunday night. Maybe I can even go geocaching or something...

Comments

[moonhare]

As predicted, I'm stiff today from scrunching down on the concrete floor to work on those UPSes yesterday.

It's embarrassing to admit that my right hip pained me for over a year after the installation of a stove and dishwasher one weekend. I think part of it was payback for my continual quoting of the line "My hip! My hip!" from a Pinky and the Brain episode where an elder Brain falls and hurts himself ;o)

[altivo]

Over a year? You must have really done some damage then. Most of the time my escapades are more likely to leave me complaining "My brain! My brain!"

Easily distracted

[frith]

Rats. You mentioned toys and now I find myself skimming ahead and I can't concentrate on the tech stuff. 8^) My guess is plush toys.

Re: Easily distracted

[altivo]

You skimmed ahead too fast. I went on to tell what the toys are immediately after mentioning them. It's other tech stuff, a graphics card and a disk drive.

I did get some plush this week, because I need them for the little skit we are doing at the library on July 22. The story being read is John Rocco's Wolf! Wolf! and calls for a flock of goats. (The wolf is easy, he will be Argos.) So we are stockpiling plush sheep and goats from garage sales, etc. I bought two from Amazon that I will keep and they have both arrived but haven't been photographed yet. One is a Folkmanis puppet. The other is a "stuff it yourself" from Pink Moose.

Re: Easily distracted

[frith]

I misinterpreted the comma, I took it for a list. 8^) Garage sales are probably a good bet for plush goats (& sheep), the way kids drive the urge to purchase. A good bet for CD's too, the way people are dumping their's in favor of MP3's.